Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) continually seek new and simple ways to reach their customers and inform them of exciting promotional offers, new pricing plans, discounts, and new service offerings. While there is a myriad of channels to reach subscribers, most are highly ineffective. Commonly, people refuse to provide an email address linked to their mobile account, or simply ignore email promotions sent from the mobile operators. Often, email and paper mailed notifications are not read and are viewed as spam or junk mail by customers. In many markets, particularly emerging markets, mobile subscribers have limited access to the Internet and do not visit a mobile operator's website.
In markets that allow it, one of the most effective ways to reach customers is through a Short Message Service (SMS) channel. Offers are sent by mobile operators or third parties to mobile subscribers via SMS, and subscribers can typically reply with a special code to opt-in to an offer or new service promotion. This requires the user to view the SMS, and to understand the instructions on how to sign up for the offer. In many cases, offers are received by subscribers and are delivered to their SMS inbox on their mobile phone, and the subscriber does not see the offer until it has expired. In other instances, subscribers will delete the SMS offer without even reading it, similar to deleting emails or throwing away paper mailings. When subscribers do view an offer, traditionally many of them who wish to sign up for the promotion do not fully understand the instructions for the reply prompt, and do not provide the proper reply credentials for the offer; hence, never opting in to the new promotion. A simple, single-click, highly interactive marketing solution able to target a wide range of mobile subscribers at once is needed in the industry.